[News] Ayu to perform at Music Station 31 March

[Violently Happy]

What kind of April fools joke is this?! http://aramajapan.com/news/ayumi-ham...-retire/73357/
It's not even funny, and it's in very poor taste.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by bluegie

Hmmn, let's see. I never expect her to sing good in recent years. She changed her technique (?) after 2008 or so (when she started singing each words out separately, especially at the end of each sentence). I didn't like it, but at least there's no dramatic outburst like now (or rather, she was not that over reacting). And I don't really watch her tour dvd anymore, so I can't even compare her vocal in recent tours with tv lives. I actually compare what she could do back in old tv lives (from 1999 - maybe 2010) with what she has been doing in recent years. I can accept her shaky vocal, as I know that about her ear condition, and her cord has been constantly damaged. In fact, I wasn't totally shivered by her vocal last night. More likely it was the package (vocal + dress + over reacting) that gave me a shock.

As far as look goes I think if she wore the outfit she appeared in, people would have been more satisfied.

Vocally I thought TO BE and ourselves were fine until the choruses which were... not so fine.

[Cahz-]

Originally Posted by Violently Happy

What kind of April fools joke is this?! http://aramajapan.com/news/ayumi-ham...-retire/73357/
It's not even funny, and it's in very poor taste.

That Ronald guy is a sad creature, he was a fan before and then suddenly turned into a troll against Ayu.

[kiseki89]

Just saw the performance and I tot it was ok. Was expecting a super horrible performance from all the comments but TO BE imo is a difficult song for the chorus which was so much suitable for her voice 10-15 yrs ago. Ourselves seems interesting to be brighter than the usual dark version.

Imo soloists generally sound much different live with some tend to go off tune a little. And depending on the type of music.

[maikaru]

I guess the thing is is that someone has been posting old TV lives of her in YouTube recently, and juxtapose those with this... I am so disappointed. She actually did sing very well, especially during 2001-2005. I still can't for the life of me understand what happened. She had a hearing problem before 2008. She still sang beautifully. I'm sad. ��

She used to be so melancholic and actually sad.. And it's clear that she's not now. Maybe she's depressed, but for a different reason in a different way than when she first started singing. And I think that's a big part of her decline.

[ayuinh.k?]

Originally Posted by perfectodub

ayu looks uncomfortable, nervious and sad the entire show (+ interview)
like trying to control herself for something
why japanese women on tv acts like they are handcuffed in front of a judge or a police officer.

the ourselves part was the best although the arrangement sounds like a cheap unnoficial karaoke file

During the beginning when her name was announced, she had an uncomfortable expression on her face when she was walking down the stairs like she didn't want to be there and wanted to go home

[BabyJane]

Isn't that dress, the same dress she wore for this event in Seoul???? Just that she added sleeves (if they can be called sleeves) and the black belt...

[tenshi no hane]

I liked that she tried a new ourselves arrangement, but that's about it.

Her vocals have always been a bit shaky. I don't mind if she goes off-key a few times, but I just can't understand the vocal choices she's making nowadays. Yes, she lost hearing in one ear, but I doubt the screaming in TO BE's chorus would sound good even if she did have better control. It's her current vocal style that I dislike, sadly.

And the flailing and melodramatics... She's been doing this for a few years now and I keep hoping she'll quit acting like that because it just looks fake and embarrassing to me.

I know it's her life. If she wants to perform like this, she should. It's not fair to push my expectations on her. But the part of me that grew up admiring her feels sad that I can't enjoy her performances anymore.

I still love her recorded music and I'm grateful she's still going strong after almost 20 years. I guess I'll just stick to her new albums and stop viewing her live performances. This performance isn't her worst, but it is simply the straw that broke the camel's back for me.

[LONJJONG]

Originally Posted by ayuinh.k?

During the beginning when her name was announced, she had an uncomfortable expression on her face when she was walking down the stairs like she didn't want to be there and wanted to go home

Not true, she was seen in that expression several times on MS before. She will just nod a little and walk down the stairs nonchalantly

[Miduhyo]

all I can think after watching that performance is:

Does anyone know where I can watch the X Japan performance???

[Faiza]

Originally Posted by tenshi no hane

I liked that she tried a new ourselves arrangement, but that's about it. I'm going to have to join the negativity train this time.

To me, it's not just about the vocals. Those have always been hit-or-miss. But, up until a few years ago, she would still shine even if her voice got shaky; she could make up for it somehow. It wasn't perfect, but it was raw and honest (in my eyes, anyway). However, this performance makes me feel secondhand embarrassment. The flailing, the melodramatics, the wrong vocal choices, the whole damn thing... I'd be embarrassed to show this to my friends or family. I just felt sad watching this, like "Who is this?"

It's been like this for a few years. And I think some of us, like me, watch new TV performances with the hope of seeing a spark of her old magic. Which doesn't happen, and the crushed hope leads to frustration and negativity. (I don't really watch her new concerts anymore, and they have so much stuff going on nowadays anyway that it's less jarring than during TV shows.)

I don't want her to go back to her past 'persona'. Interviews make it clear that she was quite miserable back then. Besides, people change. I want her to be happy. It's just... I don't know... It's her life. If she wants to perform like this, she should. It's not fair to push my expectations on her. But the part of me that grew up admiring her feels sad to see her like this.

...Needed to get this off my chest. I think I'll just stick to her studio albums from now on.

You hit the nail on the head perfectly here.

People may argue that fans can't expect her voice to sound the same as her debut or golden era but they also shouldn't come to see awful vocal performances as acceptable. Yes she has had problems with her ears, but as a performer with the sort of time, money and resources that she has, we can and should expect her to work on her vocal issues and at least try to perform to a decent standard, instead of the warble-y screaming that is currently presented. No amount of theatrics, dancers, overacting etc can mask the main issue of Ayu's performances, which is her voice.

[douggn]

I think a problem with her voice may come from the quality of speakers,usally if you have a good set up with base, then you can get more of how it would of sounded there. Its like complaining about techno songs after hearing them on pc speakers. You need good speakers to get the best from ayus music tv live and no LQ versions of things. But it could also be ayus heart isn't in her tv lives anymore, she may just do them to get it out of the way. Her hearts in her tours and concerts and they sound good, from a-nation to her team ayu tours. And she's not promoting a new song so her tv preformance isn't selling a new single, so no matter how much she could spend and new outfits, it would be a loss in profits. She may be ayu, but music is a money making business. Also ayu can easily pull of the grand gowns so why not, not everyone can pull that look off good.

[rainbow_smile]

This time even I have to agree that she shouted too much. I tend to defend ayu most of the time tbh. I actually liked most of the performance, I love the new version of ourselves. But I do have to admit that she screamed too much in the chorus of TO BE, which I found really unnecessary. I think it would've sounded pretty good if she sang it softly and the shouting sounded really out of place.

I did enjoy ourselves except for the "ikutsumono watashi wo anata wa shitteiru" part in the beginning, and that one part at the end where she also screamed.

I liked the outfit, the overacting was a little bit meh but I didn't mind it that much.

And I certainly won't stop being her fan just because this performance wasn't that good. I loved her vocals at the CDM and MIJ tour concerts that I attended. And the music is more important for me that the live performances anyway.

[Next_Level29]

Originally Posted by rainbow_smile

This time even I have to agree that she shouted too much. I tend to defend ayu most of the time tbh. I actually liked most of the performance, I love the new version of ourselves. But I do have to admit that she screamed too much in the chorus of TO BE, which I found really unnecessary. I think it would've sounded pretty good if she sang it softly and the shouting sounded really out of place.

I did enjoy ourselves except for the "ikutsumono watashi wo anata wa shitteiru" part in the beginning, and that one part at the end where she also screamed.

I liked the outfit, the overacting was a little bit meh but I didn't mind it that much.

And I certainly won't stop being her fan just because this performance wasn't that good. I loved her vocals at the CDM and MIJ tour concerts that I attended. And the music is more important for me that the live performances anyway.

well said. thats what matters.

[Violently Happy]

I know she shouted through the chorus, but I honestly don't see what the big fuss is? That was probably the only part that was a little unbearable. Other than that I enjoyed both performances, and thought the rest was okay. It was not her best she's ever performed, but it's also not her worst. Also, I thought everyone was used to her overreacting? Did we forget the Last Minute performance from A Cirque de Minuit?

[pedronekoi]

Talking about overreacting... She did that 10 years ago. At Music Station. Be kind and stop trying to project your expectations and frustrations on someone else.

[kaled kalil]

@pedronekoi You can't compare a song like Memorial address to TO BE. TO BE is a soft ballad that has nothing to do with being dramatic.

Just because you're a fan it doesn't mean that you should like every move she makes. It doesn't have anything to do with being ungrateful. We could say the same thing like she's not respecting her own image doing things that hurts her own legacy...

The performance was a bad karaoke bar performance, her vocals were pretty bad even comparing with the Ayu post 2011. The outfit wasn't that bad, she's using basically the same dress of You were @ CDTV, but with a hairstyle that it's not flattering.

To me this performance is not as shocking as it seems for some fans here, she's not a good live singer nowadays (and don't come here posting videos of her highly edited voice during her tours...), but if she could control herself a little bit it would be less awkward and odd, comparing with who she was a couple of years ago. She can still delivery good performances, but it's not consistent.

I wish she would learn how to sing falsetto, so the high notes she could actually sing and not scream.

When I see performances like this it reminds me of Britney Spears. You have the separate the "prime" on from her "current" self, because it's kinda unfair to judge based on what she could do in her prime, it's in the past, it's in history already and it won't ever come back.

[Violently Happy]

I agree with AyuFan2008... I mean she really didn't even have to perform and she could have just stayed home and not given us anything. I like that she gave us something different with Ourselves.

[AyuWorld]

Originally Posted by pedronekoi

Talking about overreacting... She did that 10 years ago. At Music Station. Be kind and stop trying to project your expectations and frustrations on someone else.

I dont think that MA performance back in 2007 was overreacted, that moves and emotions were suited along with the song itself. Plus the outfit and her look were okay. I seriously dont mind at all if it were Flower she were singing but it was Ourselves with exactly the same dramatic style; and I saw her awkward and yes odd like some said during the interview, it was like that person wasnt like Ayu, aaand the unflattering hairstyle with the dress

Then after all, she always looked good during her concert and not like she just came from getting botox shot. Always I prefer her look during her concert than her TV appearance nowadays.

p/s: saying Ayu has a mental problem is bit hard oh no

[Chris85]

Originally Posted by Violently Happy

I agree with AyuFan2008... I mean she really didn't even have to perform and she could have just stayed home and not given us anything. I like that she gave us something different with Ourselves.

Imagine if some employee comes to the office, does a bad job and says to the boss "be grateful that I even came!". Being an artist is a job too, so of course people are expecting her to do her job well.
When her singing was calm and soft it was OK, but shouting parts were a disaster. During her live shows it's mostly the same: she's relatively calm in the beginning of verses, but during build-ups and choruses she starts shouting. I should be prepared for this, but as a fan I have hope every time that maybe THIS time she can sing better, you know?
At least my wish was granted and she was sitting near JSB during the interview:-)
And yes, trying smth different with Ourselves was nice.